Disaster recovery speech

I have been addressing a lot of audiences lately. Unsurprisingly the subject is usually around Earthquake issues and, more recently, Earthquake recovery. I do not have written notes when delivering my speeches. I have, however, been frequently asked for a copy of a speech and so last week when addressing an EMAN seminar on disaster recovery I recorded the presentation. I have attached a typed up copy of that recording for those interested. Have a good read!

 

DISASTER RECOVERY IN CHRISTCHURCH

A speech given to EMAN members in Auckland – June 2012

By Peter Townsend

I don’t do damaged buildings, we are over that.

I am going to talk about the size of the earthquakes and some of the issues we are facing, the Government’s role and then some key learning’s.

It is the key learning’s that I want you to take away this morning because there are some critical issues we faced in Christchurch that are fundamentally important in disaster management and disaster recovery.

I just want to remind you, particularly as most of you are aware, of what went on in Christchurch but it is very hard for people to get their heads around the magnitude of the disaster. There were 1,360 commercial buildings inside our four avenues destroyed. Most recently in the December 23 aftershock, a four year old 12 storey building - the IRD Building in the city the lift well dropped a meter and the building was destroyed, so this is carrying on. We are about two thirds of the way through demolishing those 1,360 buildings.  In addition to those commercial buildings inside the four avenues, 300 commercial buildings outside the four avenues, 15,000 houses destroyed, 40,000 houses with in excess of $100,000 worth of damage, 300,000 claims against EQC because of the multiple issues, 10,500 aftershocks, and 30 of them very significant.  Just to give you an idea of the momentum of building in the recovery, Fletcher Building who have the contract for EQC to repair houses that have been damaged between $10,000 - $100,000 are currently completing 100 homes a day in Christchurch and they are about 15% of the way through the repairs. Just so we can think about where we are going and what we are doing, it will be five years probably before we get our housing stock sorted out and probably 20 – 25 years before we get the commercial part of the city rebuilt and I would say recreated because we are in a situation in downtown Christchurch inside our four avenues, in the core of the CBD where 80% of the commercial buildings have been destroyed. It is about re-creation and it is about long timeframes but I do need to make the point right up front that we don’t as a country and a city stand-a-side while Christchurch is rebuilt, this is a fantastic opportunity for all of us to re-engage and to be part of the rebuild no matter where we are or where we are from............

To read the full speech please click here.

www.cecc.org.nz